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H. 'DALZIEL. BACKING BLOGK FOR STEREOTYPE PLATES. A No 444,949. Patented Jan. 20, 1891.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. I H. DALZIEL. BAGKING BLOG'K FOR STEREOTYPE PLATES. No. 444,949

. Patented Jan. 20', 1891 UNITED STATES ATENT )rrrcn.

HARVEY DALZIEL, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

BACKlNC-BLOCK FOR STEREOTYPE-PLATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,949, dated January 20, 1891.

Application tiled April 29, 1889. Serial No. 308,934. (No model.) Patented in England February 6. 1889, No. 2,088 in France March 9,1339,N0-196,832i in Germany April 5,1889,N0.49,361; in Italy December 24, 1889, XXIII, 26,672: in Belgium January 4, 1890, No. 89,076; in Canada February Z5,1890,No.33,781, and in Austria-Hungary April 27, 1890, No. 2,879.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARVEY DALZIEL, of

16 Loudoun Road, St. J ohns WVood, London,

Jngland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Backing-Blocks for Stereotype-Plates, of which the following is a specification, and for which I have obtained patents as follows, viz: in Great Britain, No. 2,088, dated February 6,1889; in France, No. 106,832, dated March 19, 1889; in Germany, No. 49,361, dated April 5, 1889; in Italy, Vol. 23, No. 26,672, dated December 24,1889; in Austria-Hungary, No. 2,879, dated April 27, 1890; in Belgium, No. 89,070, dated January 4, 1890, and in Canada, No. 33,781, dated February 25, 1890.

The object of this invention is to facilitate the making up of electrotype, stereotype, or other printing platesinto sheets ready for the printing-press and to secure them firmly in place with a proper facial adjustment, which insures the production of good and clean impressions throughout the printing operation.

The prevailing practice in the printing trade is to place the plates on a number of oblong and square metal blocks packed closely together (sometimes twelve or more for a page) and to attach the same to the blocks by removable brass clips or catches. These clips or catches often become loose and rising level with the face of the stereotype-plate cause marks on the margin. of the sheet of paper being printed, interfere with the register, and produce bad printing. 1 now propose to provide what may be termed expanding backing-blocks which will admit of the attachment thereto of stereotype or electrotype plates of various sizes, the clips or catches being in one with the block or permanently secured thereto.

The manner of carrying out my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings but it will be obvious that the details admit of modification without departing from the essential feature of the invention,

Figure 1 shows in plan view a simple form of expanding block. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same, taken in the line 1 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the backing-block expanded. Figs. 4 show a series of filling-pieces adapted for enlarging the divided backing-block. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a four-page form made up in the chase ready for application to the table of the printing-press.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, which illustrate the simplest form of expanding block, it will be seen that the block is divided diag onally into two parts.

A A are the halves of a backing-block divided diagonally into two wedge-like pieces of the form of right-angled triangles to provide for the lateral and longitudinal expansion of the block to suit various sizes of stereotype or other printing plates. The divided block I propose to make of certain standard sizes. Thus, for example, the block, when put together as shown at Fig. 1, may conveniently be suited to receive a foolscap octavo stereotype-plate, or its proportions may be larger or smaller to correspond to any other well-known size of plate commonly used by printers. By preference I make these backing-blocks 0f cast-iron, coring them out at their under surface for the sake of lightness. On their face and near their outer edges I form undercut ribs or projections a, which serve as fixed clips or catches for gripping the edges of the plates and retaining them firmly in position on the block. The position of the half-blocks relatively to each other and to the plate which they carry will be firmly secured by wedging up the same in the chase in the usual manner. The pages thus secured in the chase I arrange upon the printing-table in groups of four, eight, sixteen, or more or less, asthe case may be. This is illustrated at Fig. 5, which represents four pages locked up in a chase D.

The above-described construction of backing-block I fit for the reception of a larger plate by inserting between the divided parts or outer members A a suitably-shaped fillingpiece. This is illustrated in Fig. 3, where B is the filling-piece made, preferably, of metal cored out on its under surface and formed with parallel sides to lie snugly against the inclined or diagonal inner faces of the two outer members A of the divided block. The

ends of this filling-piece are chamfered, s0

as to make good the rectangular outline of the expanded block, and thereby provide a support for the entire back of the plate.

The clips a a on the parts A A will serve effectually to grip the larger plate, as in the first example.

It will now be understood that the divided block is equally Well suited to receive any one of the filling-pieces of Figs. 4:, their respective proportions being such as will correspond with some Well-known and approved size of stereotype or other printing plate. I am thus enabled to provide for the expansion of the backing-block by the simple addition of one filling-piece.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in What manner the same is to be performed, I declare that What I claim is In a backing for stereotype-plates and like printing-surfaces, the combination of two outer members of the form of right-angled triangles and a filling-piece interposed between and conforming to the diagonal faces of said members, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

HARVEY DALZIEL.

Witnesses:

H. K. WHITE, H. GoLTZ. 

